Bank Holiday Weekend
by WhisperElmwood
Summary: HarryDraco - Harry and Draco have been together since thier seventh year at Hogwarts. Ron doesn't approve, and thus, Harry and Draco visit rarely. This is a short story telling of thier long awaited visit - told from the pov of RHr's eldest child. WIP


**Bank Holiday Weekend**

They don't come over very often these days. I think it's because Dad doesn't really approve of them. But they've come down this weekend, because it's a bank-holiday and Uncle Harry just wanted to see Mum again.

I think, once, Uncle Harry and Mum and Dad were all best friends. Back in the War, or was it before then? Yeah, back when they were at school, back when they were all young, younger than I am now, younger than I can really imagine them.

I once got out the photos from back then, to see if there was anything interesting, and you know what? There weren't very many of Uncle Harry's boyfriend at all. Strange really, considering they've been together for over twenty years! The only ones I could find of him were the Quidditch Team promotional Photos and they were always on opposite sides of the photographs, glaring at each other.

All but one of them. The Seventh Year Team Photo. You can see them casting each other furtive glances. It's quite cute really. There's a gap in the photo albums after that. For three years, not a single photograph was taken. You can guess why.

When the photos come back, there are less of Uncle Harry. He's still there, of course, but in the first few he looks haggard – and for a twenty year old, that's a bad sign. After the first few, he's simply just not there as often.

I don't know much of what happened to Uncle Harry over those three years, he doesn't talk about the War very often, he avoids the news people and, as far as I know, only ever gave one interview – which is cited in most of the recent history books. But from what I've heard Mum say, he suffered. A lot.

I think he and Draco live out in the country somewhere now, down in Wiltshire. According to Dad, the 'Malfoy Mansion' is down there, which makes sense, Uncle Harry never had a real home of his own, so living in the Mansion must have seemed a wonderful idea.

So anyway, they came up this weekend. Mum was so excited. Dad just grumped a little, but smiled at Mum's obvious delight. They arrived while I was at work – I work at the local wizarding store – and were sitting on the sofa together when I returned. They looked a little awkward, but then, who wouldn't with Dad acting like that?

He wasn't being overly obvious, but there were subtle things he did or said that gave the game away. I'm not sure whether he doesn't like homosexuals, or whether it's just Draco. Either way, he wasn't being as nice as he could have been, and Uncle Harry and Draco could both see it.

My brother had to give up his room for the two of them; he's sleeping on my floor while they're here. Neither of us care; it's just so good to see them both again. The last time we saw them must have been at least six years ago. Mum visited them on her own last year, though. She must have had a good time, as she came back smiling.

We had a get-together barbecue the day after they arrived. All of Mum and Dad's old friends came round. Viktor Krum came! Viktor's the new head of the sport's division, and even now, he's gorgeous. I hadn't realised until I saw him on the doorstep, that he was an old friend of theirs.

Mr Longbottom came – he's always popping round – and brought his daughter with him. She's much happier these days; her mother, Hannah, died a couple of years ago. Uncle Fred and Uncle George showed up – they never miss a get-together – but they were only here for a short while, before apparating back home. Mr Thomas and his family showed up, as did Mr Finnegan and his kids.

I sat in the conservatory with all the other kids and watched Uncle Harry and Draco as we talked. Uncle Harry was so happy to see everyone, and they him. Draco kind of stood to one side, only talking if someone spoke to him first. Even when the alcohol got flowing, Draco stayed to one side, nursing a single glass of wine.

Nobody stayed for too long, and after everyone was gone, I found myself sitting with Draco. He was quiet, subdued even. Normally talking to someone in their forties is a little daunting to me, but this time? Well, he just looked so down, so human. We ended up having a quiet conversation about Uncle Harry.

My own conclusions were correct. Harry isn't well. Physically, he's as well as any normal man in his early forties, but mentally, the strain of carrying the weight of the world in his early teens is beginning to show. The effects of the War itself, so deeply hidden for all this time, are beginning to make themselves known. Draco told me that at first the signs weren't obvious, not even to himself, but now, now the signs were clear to anyone who knew what they were looking for.

Before everyone went to bed, Draco had downed the near full glass of wine, his eyes on my Dad standing on the other side of the room.

The next morning, I had to get up early for work and Uncle Harry and Draco were going sightseeing with Mum. Dad was going out, but I don't know where. I sat in my room for a while, waiting for the bathroom to become free, reading a new book. I didn't really register the quiet laughing, but when the bathroom door opened, both Uncle Harry and Draco came out with wet hair, grinning at each other. Draco greeted me with a much happier smile than he had the night before as he followed Uncle Harry into my brother's room.

I had left before they did, waving 'goodbye' and 'have a nice day' as I did so.


End file.
